Conductor for electric railways



(No Model.)

B. M. HUNTER.

CONDUCTOR FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

No. 399,409. Patented Mar. 12, 1889.

. F e. n I 2 e G. W H M a Q M k f M HUII 4 41M. w 1H 1 rig M G W 9/ H ma I N W A F P I e. M u z z IN & P l z 2 In A. .I

cal operativeness of the plant.

nTTnn STATES PATENT Grinch.

.RI DOLPll )l. IIUXTER, OF Pl'IlLADETiPllIA, PENNSYLVANI.\.

CONDUCTOR FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 399,409, dated March12, 1889.

Original application filed March 16, 1888, Serial No. 267,367- Dividccland this application filed May 18, 1888- Serial No. 274,32024- (N0model.)

To all whom it may warmer/1 Be it known that I, RUDOLPH M. HUNTER, ofthe city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented an Improvement in oi'nluctors for Electric Rail- I bronze,which has a conductivity almost equal to copper, with great tensilestrength.

In the drawings, Figure-1 is a CI'OSS'SOCllOll of my preferred form ofslotted-tube conductor. Fig. 2 is a modification of same. Fig.

ways, (Case (50,) of which the following is a t 1 elevation showing partof an electric railway, showing how to support my improved conspecification.

My invention has reference to electric railways; and it consists ofcertain improvemcnts fully set forth in the following specification land shown in the accomjmnying drawings,

which form part thereof.

This application (Case no) is a division (A) of my application tiledMarch to, less. and Serial No. 20mm.

out a general construction of electric railway employing slotted tubesfor the working-eonductors. This division relates to some of thespecific features of construction of said slotted'tube conductors. Theseconductors are equally well adapted for suspension above the roadway orwithin a conduit. In using tubes of this character great trouble isexperienced by the bending or collapsing of the tube, and hence itssupport is an important feature, particularly so as this support isindispensable and must be within reason as to cost and presentableappearance. It is objectionable to place posts nearer together than fromninety to one hundred feet, and with this distance the tubes cannot besustained from post: to post as the only points of supportwithoutcollapsing unless the metal of t the tube is made very heavy, andin that case its ductility would allow the conductor to stretch and sagdown, destroying the practi- In my preferred form of conductor I provideone or more longitudinal ribs upon its top or upper part to resist thebending action, and also I furnish a suitable means of suspension to thetie, frame, or suspension rods or wires. \Yhen using thesupporting-cables as supply-conductors, I prefer to make theworking-conductors of rolled iron, owing to its cheapness and easymanufacture and facility for making repairs. The supporting-calile maybeof steel covered with strands of copper, or the reverse, or may be madeentirely of silicon b is a side elevation of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4c is anductor.

A is the railway.

B are posts or supports for the suspended conductor.

1) is a supporting-cable and supptv-condoctor.

E is my improved worlting-conduetor, and is suspended from the cable I)at intervals in its length by ties c, of any suitable construction.

F is the collector, sliding in the tube-conductor E, and j" is theconductor from the collector to the car (1 to supply elect ricity to themotor.

In making my conductor It, I roll it into a tubular form, as shown, withthe slot Q preferably at the bottom and with the rib P extendinglongitudinally at its upper part and preferably diametrically oppositeto the slot. I also prefer to make the lateral walls of the slot or thelower part of the tube thicker than the rest, as indicated at R inFig. 1. In Fig. 2 I show additional flanges or ribs 1), arranged uponeach side of the central web or longitudinal rib, P. The web or rib Pperforms the double function of strengthening the conductor and also asa means of attachment to the supporting cable, conductor, or frame ofwhatever kind used. This web or rib maybe provided with holes It, bywhich easy attachment maybe made and good electrical contact insured.

In the construction shown in Fig. l the conductor. E is suspended atintervals from cable D by the ties c, which connect with the rib or webP. (See dotted lines, Fig.

Another feature of my construction is indicated in the dotted extensions7' in Figs. 1 and 2, which prevents the objectionable whistling noisesdue to the transvtrse passage of the air over the conductor in windyweather. \Vhen the lower edges on each side of the slot Q are on line,the whistling is very strong; but by making one edge lower than theother the noise is almost completely prevented.

I do not limit myself to the mere specific details here shown, as theymay be modified in Various ways without departing from my invention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and. desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. An electric -rail\vay working-conductor consisting of a tube having alongitudinal slot, and also having the thickn css of its metal greateras the slot is approached from either side.

2. A working-conductor for an electric rail way, consisting of a slottedtube having one or more longitudinal ribs upon its outer surface, and inwhich the metal of the tube becomes thieker as the slot is approached.

A working-conductor for an electric railway, consisting of a slottedtube having one or more longitudinal ribs upon its outer surface, and inwhich the metal of the tube becomes thicker as the slot is approached.

4:. A working-conductor for an electric railway, consisting of a slottedtube having one or more longitudinal ribs upon its outer surface anddiametrically opposite to the slot and in which the metal of the tubebecomes thicker as the slot is approached.

5. A working-conductor for an electric rail:- way, consisting of aslotted tube in which the thickness of the metal on one side of the slotis greater than that on the other side.

6. A working-conductor for an electric railway, consisting of a slottedtube having a lon central and two short lateral longitudinal ribs uponits outer surface on the side away from the slot.

7. A working-conductor for an electric railway, consisting of slottedtube rolled in one piece having a smooth interior surface of e0ntinuousmetal in cross-section and a longitudinal rib projecting from its outersurface away from the slot.

8. A working-conductor for an electric railway, consisting of a slottedtube of metal forming a band of continuous metal from slot to slot and arib exterior to said band of continuous metal and forined'integraltherewith.

f). A working-conductor for an electric railway, consisting of a slottedtube having one of its outer edges of the slot projecting beyond theother.

10. A working-conductor for an electric railway, consisting of a slottedtube having one of its outer edges of the slot projecting beyond theother and having one or more longitudinal ribs upon its outer surface.

In testimony of which im ention I hereunto set my hand. 7

RUDOLPH M. HUNTER. lVitnesses:

M. BREOKINREED, ERNEST HOWARD HUNTER.

